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Mechanical site preparation effects on understory plant diversity in the Piedmont of the southern USA

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Abstract

Diversity of understory vegetation was compared among four intensities of site preparation and an adjacent 50-year-old pine-hardwood forest. The study site was a six-year-old loblolly pine (Pines taeda) plantation in the lower Piedmont of Georgia. Species richness and Shannon diversity indices were used to evaluate vine and woody (trees and shrubs) species diversity. Biomass distribution was compared among four plant categories: vines, forbs, grasses, and woody. Moderate intensity treatments (chainsaw and shear and chop) consistently ranked highest overall in diversity, with the mature pine-hardwood forest ranking lowest. Distribution of the four plant categories was not significantly affected by intensity of site preparation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Auburn University, 36849-5418, AL, USA

    Cynthia G. Locasio, B. G. Lockaby & Jon P. Caulfield

  2. USDA For. Serv., Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, 31020, Macon, GA, USA

    M. Boyd Edwards

  3. Department of Zoology Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, 36849, Al, USA

    M. Keith Causey

Authors
  1. Cynthia G. Locasio
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  2. B. G. Lockaby
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  3. Jon P. Caulfield
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  4. M. Boyd Edwards
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  5. M. Keith Causey
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Additional information

Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Series No. 9-892325P.

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Locasio, C.G., Lockaby, B.G., Caulfield, J.P. et al. Mechanical site preparation effects on understory plant diversity in the Piedmont of the southern USA. New Forest 4, 261–269 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119205

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00119205

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